Preparing for the Predators

Unlike most contests against Western Conference foes where Washington may not have much familiarity with an opponent, the Capitals played Nashville twice in the preseason. The intensity and personnel might not have been what the Caps will face this time, but it can make it slightly easier to prepare from a systematic standpoint.

The Predators are off to a perfect 3-0 start, and while they may not play the flashiest brand of hockey, they're a team that matches up well against the Capitals, particularly when considering their speed and physicality on defense.

"[Nashville's] one of those teams where they never really have a big superstar, but they're always playing well, they always play hard and they're hard to play against," Jason Chimera said. "I think the biggest thing is dictating the pace when you go out there. We've got to make sure we're the ones working harder."

Here are some other items to keep in mind heading into the Caps' game against the Predators:

--Washington's unblemished penalty-killing statistic will likely face another test Saturday. Nashville is 4-for-13 with the man-advantage this season and all three game-winning goals for the Predators have come on the power play.

Conversely, Nashville's penalty kill has given up three goals on nine chances.

--Regardless of which Nashville goaltender suits up, the Capitals will face one half of the tallest tandem in the league. Pekka Rinne, who missed the past two games with a lower-body injury but said earlier today that he is 100 percent, is 6-foot-5, while rookie Anders Lindback, who is 2-0 in his first NHL starts, is 6-foot-6.

If Rinne plays it will mark the first time the up-and-coming goaltender has faced the Capitals in a regular-season game. It isn't the first time Washington could see him, though, as Rinne played in the preseason finale at Verizon Center on Oct. 3.

"The big goalies, they cover so much net, you've just got to keep pounding away," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "The one equalizer is they can give up rebounds as any small guy. If they give rebounds up, the second shot's got to go high, but the second shot's got to go up all the time now because the goalies are too good. No secrets, just keep shooting where they ain't."

--Goaltender Dany Sabourin cleared waivers and has been assigned to Hershey.

--I'm working on a story for tomorrow's paper on the Capitals' balancing act with a now-healthy Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth. So keep an eye out for that.

This season the Capitals will get the best effort of their opponents on most nights. Every other team will want to see how they measure up against the Caps - there is more of a target on this team than the Chicago champs.

Is it fair to expect every night the Caps to be reved up even higher? Probably not but lets hope that the competition makes them more battle tested by April...it should! That could be the big advantage the Caps have bt playoffs - if most games in the season feel like playoff battles it could.

This season the Capitals will get the best effort of their opponents on most nights. Every other team will want to see how they measure up against the Caps - there is more of a target on this team than the Chicago champs.

Is it fair to expect every night the Caps to be reved up even higher? Probably not but lets hope that the competition makes them more battle tested by April...it should! That could be the big advantage the Caps have by playoffs - if most games in the season feel like playoff battles it could.

I think there have been signs that they are trying to do things differently in this regard early in the season but I wonder if it will last as the season goes on.

--tmac--

me too. That's why you grade each game or stretch of games. If they're not putting in the right effort as the season wears on, it'll get mentioned by someone on this blog...

a lot of this will depend on the roster that Bruce dresses.

What will the roster look like later in the season? IS Hendricks still around? Is Chimmychanga performing upto par? Is Flash improving? Can Erskine keep up the pace? Is DJK getting an opportunity and making the most of it? Is Majo improving? How about Alzner?

most of the other guys on the team I don't have a lot of questions on.

But that was supposed to be true last season as well... and the one before that.

It's great if teams use as a measuring stick if it forces us to make tangible improvements in our work ethic and other areas.

That didn't seem to be the result in the past. Let's see if it happens this year.

Also, even though this is a Caps-centric blog and everybody thinks we are the end-all, be-all of the hockey universe... don't think for a second that teams don't use Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Jose and several other teams as measuring sticks. I don't know how anybody can prove that we get used as a measuring stick more than any of those teams.

@cstanton1:
regarding Al... a friend of mine use to date him when she was a lot younger and she basically said that he was just a fun guy into having hot chicks around him and going out. so yeah, that could be slimy to some... OOOOR... just good taste to others! *cough* like me *cough*

Reekie's Postgame Live contract extension was contingent upon a trade that was supposed to happen. The trade fell through, ergo no extension, and he ended up heading out West I believe. Apparently he saved costs by splitting the fee of the moving company with another person.

he always struck me as a tad scuzzy. I heard he looked past guys and tried to talk up their chickies. It was just a couple of stories so who knows if thats how he always acted. But I find that a bit scummy.

Wasn't he a frequenter of Good Guys? I could just picture Al walkin in there with a bunch of folded $1s. Maybe licking one and stamping it on his bald head while a hardworking future pharmacist tries to pick it up without using her hands or mouth.

They were as much frustrated as outworked against the Islanders. Any team that forechecks hard and disrupts the Caps flow gives them fits. Our young D was exposed in that game. Couldn't deal with the pressure, but I guess they have the long season to work on that.

i always found it funny that Reekie chose #29. From my recollection, for that era, that was a # reserved (unofficially) for NHL tough guys. Seems a lot of em took that # because it was just an unpopular # so it was always available.

Gino Odjick
Daryl Stanley
Ed Kastelic
Don Jackson

I think that's why Ryane Clowe wears that #. A little homage to the past if you will.

The #21 was another tough guy jersey. Dave Brown and McPhee come to mind.

Smokin Al seems to be a decent enough guy. I had a beer with him at Clydes after a game once. From what I recall (which isn't a ton)- he's a bit on the shorter side. He was cordial with me, so he's ok in my book. Kind of a dry personality though.

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Ottawa Senators forward Nick Foligno has been fined $2,500 (the maximum permitted under the Collective Bargaining Agreement) as a result of an illegal check to the head on Patrick Dwyer of the Carolina Hurricanes in NHL game #43, October 14, the National Hockey League announced today.

"While there was no injury as a result of the hit, it is clear that Foligno delivered a shoulder check from the blind side that made primary contact with Dwyer's head," said NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell. "It is also clear that Foligno was delivering the hit in an attempt to get the puck. Finally, in determining that a fine was the appropriate discipline for this incident, I took into account that Foligno has not been suspended previously by the League."

The incident occurred at 6:16 of the third period. There was no penalty assessed on the play.
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the fact that he was closer to the puck saved him here...

i guess it makes sense even though you can argue the action could have resulted in a concussion which would have resulted in a likely suspension.

While I won't admit to my "transgressions" (isn't that the word athletes use these days) I can at least sleep at night knowing I never did "that" in order to get information! LMAO! Thanks for thinking of me though.

Didn't Mike Fornes do Bullets games too? If he's the guy I'm thinking of, he had one of the great moments in Washington sports broadcast history. He was on screen at courtside, yakking it up at half-time of a Bullets game in Denver (if I recall correctly). A guy walks up to him and asks him if he is Mike Fornes. Fornes grunts "yeah," and the guy serves him with process. I think Fornes previously worked in Denver. One of the funniest things I ever saw.

Leafs are buzzin like bees out there. Phaneuf rocked Boogaard with a hit. My 2nd prediction of the night (not that it takes a genius or anything to predict this) almost occurred. Orr and Boogaard almost went right before the Prust fight.

i think i'm going to have to adopt the leafs as my 2nd team. I hope they continue to play well and make the playoffs. Even sweeter if we get to face em...

Still a few minutes left in the game, but the Bears are delivering a spanking to Binghamton 7-1. Goal scoring pretty spread out: Gordon, Greentree, Willsie, Beagle, Perreault, Bouchard(2). Game has turned into a fight fest at this point.

Re: Al Koken...I think he's ok as an announcer. But a ladies man? Doesn't do much for me. Must have some "hidden talents".

Gillies has improved as a fighter since Boogs knocked him out 5 years ago in Anaheim. DJK did look like he was hurt. I still think BB must dress DJK, because Belak and Erskine have a history. Let DJ deal with Belak. BB must dress DJ. Belak is one of the few guys that I've actually seen put a "real beat down" on Brash.Brash was never the same after that fight.

The Preds are going to be a serious test for the Caps. This is a hard working and physical team that passes well. They remind me of the old Caps from the 80s in some ways. It is a Poille trademark to have a tough team.

In all seriousness...if Green and Poti are both out tonight i see little chance of us winning. Especially if we don't win more face offs...without faceoffs we will have issues with puck posession. Does anyone know who we called up? The top two lines are going to have to be stellar for us to have a shot...all I want to see in this game is some serious effort...winning would just be a bonus. GMGM has to fix the D...we can't have Sloan and Erskine in the lineup together come playoff time.

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